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Kenya Lionesses faced their first defeat in the HSBC Challenger 2024 series, losing a closely contested match 12-10 to Czechia on Friday, January 12.

Despite a promising start, the Lionesses fell short in their second outing in Dubai, succumbing to a narrow gap.

Kenya Lionesses openers

Sharon Auma and Christabel Lindo scored unconverted tries, giving the Lionesses a 10-0 lead going into halftime.

However, Czechia mounted a comeback in the second half, with Cristina Plevova converting a try to bring the score to 10-7.

The Lionesses faced a setback when Naomi Amuguni’s try was disallowed after Lindo received a red card for head contact during the clearout at the breakdown, leaving the Lionesses with only six players for the remainder of the match.

Marta Sladkova scored the leveling try for Czechia, and with the conversion, they took a 12-10 lead.

Despite the Lionesses pressing on and putting Czechia on the defensive, they were unable to secure the final blow before the full-time whistle sounded.

Keny Lionesses opener

In their opening match of the women’s competition, the Lionesses had a positive start, securing a 17-12 victory against China. Keyi Chen scored China’s opening try, giving them a 7-0 lead at halftime.

However, the Lionesses mounted a strong comeback in the second half, with Grace Adhiambo and Stellah Wafula scoring tries.

Despite China’s efforts, Judith Akumu’s final try secured the 17-12 victory for the Lionesses.

The Lionesses will conclude their Pool B fixtures against Mexico at 10:59 a.m. EAT on Saturday.